A Storm In Mind

Chapter 9 - Escape

Ryans POV

Now I really can't take anymore, everyone knows, bet Tyler couldn't wait to tell the others, even though he said he wouldn't. I can't face anyone, I made such an idiot out of myself at that meeting, how could I ever possibly face any of them now?

I just sat on my bed rocking with my head buried into my knees. Gotta get away from all this, I looked at my alarm clock; it was nearly 5 o'clock - teatime, might be able to sneak out in all the commotion. I grabbed my school bag, emptied it, put a hoodie, my photo of mum in there, I looked at my mobile, 50% it'll do, I don't use it much anyway. I switched it off and put it in the bag along with everything else, and some spare change that I'd been saving. I lay back on my bed as I heard footsteps coming up. Oh Clinton!

"Teatime Ryan, you coming down?" he asked,

"yeah, be with you in 10"

I heard him going back downstairs, most of the kids were already in the dining room, and then I heard Harry and Finn, talking about dinosaurs as they went downstairs. I opened my bedroom door slightly and looked out. No sign of anyone, so I grabbed my bag and sneaked downstairs.

I'd just got passed the office door when Jody came out of the toilet. "Ryan What?"

"shhh" I signalled to her.

She looked at me puzzled, "please Jody, don't tell anyone you've seen me." She nodded and I sneaked out of the front door. I had no idea where I was going, it was starting to rain, I looked up at the sky, the clouds were thick, metallic grey, oh it was going to be heavy rain. I ran, not really knowing where I was going, my only thought was that I wanted my Mum.

I got to the Cemetery and the gates were still open, I don't know what time the close, so I went to the garden and knelt by the card I'd left, it was sodden with all the rain, despite me leaving it in the cellophane, I just cried; something else I'd messed up. I knelt and spoke to mum

"Sorry I let you down mum, I should be good, I want to be good, for you, but without you I can't, why did you have to leave me mum, was it to punish me? Please if you just come back I'll be good I promise, please just come home!" I sobbed.

"Come on lad" a male voice said, "you can't stand out in the rain, you'll catch your death."

I turned to see a security guard standing there. "Come with me, I'll get you warmed up" he said,

"NO!" I yelled and ran, I ran back toward the gate but it was locked. Then I heard the car drive towards the gate so I hid in the trees. The engine stopped and out he got

"come on lad, give it up"

I stayed quiet, then I heard his radio "received Tony, got a young lad playing silly buggers, one gate locked over"

I stayed quiet and still, my chest pounded and my body trembled, partly from cold, but mostly from fear. I tried to curb my breathing so he couldn't hear me. It seems an eternity and then the security guard got back in his car, turned around and went.

"Oh..."

It was starting to go dark; I wondered if Jody had said anything, they'd probably checked my room by now too. I tried to catch my breath, I just want my mum. I slowly walked back to the garden, everywhere was peaceful. I turned my phone on just so I could find mums flowers again, I had 14 messages and 5 voicemails - I just turned my phone back off. I put my bag down and I lay on the wet grass next to mums flowers, the rain drenching my skin, all my thoughts consumed with just being with mum again. Everything would be fine. I just closed my eyes.

Tylers POV

"Oh where's Ryan? Better take his food up to him" Clinton said.

"I'll go!" Jody said suddenly.

"You don't even like Ryan," I said, I'll take it"

I took Ryan's tea up to his room, I knocked but there was no reply. I opened the door waiting for Ryan to yell at me, but the room was empty - I checked his wardrobe, and then the bathroom. I ran downstairs

"Mike, Clinton, Ryan's gone" I cried.

"Gone what do you mean gone?" Clinton said.

"He's not in his room, I can't find him anywhere, I've rang his mobile, but I think it's off."

"Has anyone seen Ryan?" Mike asked, I looked at Jody, I could tell she was hiding something.

"No" they all said."We thought he was in his room."

Mike went to the office; some of the kids checked the house, whilst I offered with Jody to check the garden.

"Jody what's going on" I asked

"we're looking for Ryan." She said,

"You know something Jody, please, tell Mike if you know anything" I begged,

"Why you and him best mates all of a sudden?" she snapped.

"Jody, he's too sick to be out there on his own" I said

"He's an idiot!" Jody scornfully said.

"Just tell Mike what you know Jody." I marched Jody to the office,

"Not now Tyler" Mike said as he was on the phone,

"Jody knows something Mike" I said

"Jody?"

Jody sighed, "I saw Ryan leave at teatime, I was coming out of the loo and I met him in the hallway, he just looked at me and begged me not to say anything."

"What was he wearing Jody?" Mike asked

"I dunno, his jeans, the black ones, his blue shirt and his thin jacket, oh and he had his school bag."

Mike relayed this to the Police and before long there were two officers at the door wanting to speak to all of us, Mike spoke to them first, he was with them ages, and then one by one they asked us all what we knew.

Ryans POV

"Brrr" I opened my eyes, I was cold, I still lay with mum, it was soothing, I placed my hand on the flowers and I closed my eyes again, hoping next time I opened them we'd be together. I shivered, then nothing.